News Stories Archives

Business Says Euro Debt Deal Only First Step

Published on October 27, 2011
ICC Chairman Gerard Worms
ICC Chairman Gerard Worms

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) welcomed the agreement reached by leaders to address the challenges of sovereign and bank debt in Europe, calling it a development that should contribute to restoring confidence and stability to the world economy.  But ICC, which USCIB represents in the United States, said it believes that a strong multilateral effort by all G20 countries will be needed to lead the world economy into a position of renewed growth and job creation.

“The leaders of the G20 are uniquely placed to build on this example of European unity to adopt a plan that will take the world economy beyond the reach of instability and growing unemployment,” said ICC Chairman Gerard Worms. “As they did in 2009, the G20 can agree on a plan where emerging and developed economies chart a course out of crisis into a new period of growth and job creation.”

ICC said greater coordination and more effective international governance are crucial for ensuring that economic policies are consistent and contribute to global stability.  It said this can best be brought about by continuing to develop a more formal framework between the G20 countries – the leaders of which are meeting for a Summit in Cannes, France on November 3-4 – and key intergovernmental financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund.

USCIB Chairman Harold McGraw III, CEO of The McGraw-Hill Companies and also vice chairman of ICC, will participate in the B20 Business Summit taking place just prior to the G20 Summit in Cannes, which ICC is organizing alongside other major business groups.

Read more on ICC’s website.

Staff contact: Rob Mulligan

At UN Internet Governance Forum Business Emphasizes Need for an Open Internet

Published on October 24, 2011

4183_image002At the UN’s Internet Governance Forum (IGF), which took place September 27-30 in Nairobi, USCIB joined business representatives from around the world in underscoring the importance of maintaining an open, multi-stakeholder approach to international discussions of the Internet’s development. Many USCIB members attended the 2011 IGF and participated in a range of substantive sessions on Internet policy.

Heather Shaw, USCIB’s vice president for information, communications and technology policy, participated in a panel discussion aimed at promoting awareness of the OECD’s Principles for an Open Internet.  The principles were agreed at a June OECD High-Level Meeting on the Internet Economy.

Ms. Shaw was joined on the panel by: Ambassador Philip L. Verveer, deputy assistant secretary of state and the U.S. coordinator for international communications and information policy; Rod Beckstrom, president and CEO of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), who spoke on behalf of the Internet Technical Advisory Committee to the OECD; Dimitri Ypsilanti of the OECD, who chaired the session;  Professor Luis Magalhães, the head of Portugal’s “knowledge society” agency; Alice Munyua of Kenya’s ministry of information and communications; and Anriette Esterhuysen, CEO of the Association for Progressive Communications, who spoke on behalf of the Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council to the OECD.

The OECD principles aim to ensure the openness and dynamism of the Internet.  Ms. Shaw explained they would be valuable going forward, particularly in the lead-up to the World Congress on Information Technology, to be held in October 2012 in Montreal.  She said USCIB was pleased to convey the views of the broader OECD business community to the IGF, which it regards as an ideal place to draw greater awareness of the OECD principles given the IGF’s broad and diverse participation.

Ms. Shaw said the principles “serve as a basis for greater international coherence on these issues, vital for issues related to the internet where there are no borders, although countries will continue to set their own policies and regulations, adapting international principles to suit their individual cultures, legal systems and priorities.”  She said another added value of the OECD principles is their broad scope and flexibility, which, she said, “means they can be applied on topics where technology and business models are still evolving and emerging.”  Ms. Shaw stressed that interoperability of national policies must be maintained for information flows to continue across borders, promoting greater investment and innovation.

The OECD has been a pioneer in integrating the view of all stakeholders’ in Internet policy discussions.  The need for wide stakeholder involvement was further stressed by ICANN’s Mr. Beckstrom, as an essential to drive the Internet forward.  “We can look at the multi-stakeholder model as something that’s absolutely essential in this system,” he said.  “It’s part of the architecture of the system that, in many ways, reflects the Internet itself,” driving collaboration between different groups.

Ambassador Verveer said that “we in the United States are making it a point to try to recommend these [principles] to other administrations whenever we have the opportunity to do so.”

Also at the IGF, members of the International Chamber of Commerce’s BASIS (Business Action to Support the Information Society) initiative highlighted the essential role of the private sector in driving the Internet’s growth and evolution.  BASIS serves as the voice of global business on how the Internet and ICTs can serve as engines of economic growth and social development.

Speaking during the IGF’s closing ceremony, Herbert Heitmann, executive vice president for external communications with Royal Dutch Shell and chair of the ICC Commission on E-Business, IT and Telecoms, said: “As a dynamic innovator, investor and user, business contributes to the development of the Internet through education initiatives, promoting innovation and creativity, public-private research and development partnerships.”

Staff contact: Barbara Wanner

More on USCIB’s Information, Communications and Technology Committee

Inaugural Green Economies Dialogue Held in Washington

Published on October 24, 2011
A cross-section of experts from business, government and the policy community met in Washington, DC at the inaugural Green Economies Dialogue, hosted by Resources for the Future.
A cross-section of experts from business, government and the policy community met in Washington, DC at the inaugural Green Economies Dialogue, hosted by Resources for the Future.

On October 12, Resources for the Future hosted the first meeting of the Green Economies Dialogue project, an initiative of the United States Council Foundation, USCIB and a host of partner organizations and companies.

The goal of this and other GED meetings is to foster  discussion of green economy topics among business, government, inter-governmental bodies and other stakeholders, with a focus on international cooperative measures and market-based solutions that could take green growth to the next level.

Future dialogue sessions are planned for Paris (November 14, hosted by the OECD), Tokyo and Sao Paolo.  Research on a variety of green economy topics is being commissioned, and will be published in the journal Energy Economics in the lead-up to the Rio+20 summit in June 2012.

The Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, part of USCIB’s global network, is playing an important role in organizing the dialogues.

At the Washington dialogue, government, business representatives and NGO representatives heard from economists and academics who are reviewing experiences, possibilities and unknowns embedded in the pursuit of a green economy.  Participants sought to better understand one another’s perspectives on how economic and environmental policy approaches can be practical in North America, and meaningfully pursued in international marketplaces and regulatory frameworks.

The synergy of economic and environmental policy has been a common theme of the work of our organizations, and we appreciated the diversity of views and ideas presented in the course of the meeting.   It became clear that every participant in the meeting brought a unique vision of green growth,  and all were seized both by the urgency of the challenges and the long-term nature of the tasks ahead.

Phil Sharp, President, Resources for the Future

Peter M. Robinson, President and CEO, United States Council for International Business

Participants shared U.S. experiences, and looked ahead to how resources could be deployed most effectively to speed the evolution to greener economic growth that is meaningful both in the U.S. and globally.

More information on the Washington and other dialogues, as well as a host of other pertinent resources, will be available shortly on a new Green Economies Dialogue website.

Staff contact: Norine Kennedy

More on USCIB’s Environment Committee

Mobile Broadband Spectrum Shortage Requires Immediate Action

Published on October 20, 2011
ICC says that mobile broadband spectrum policy must co-exist with other critical societal priorities such as broadcast services
ICC says that mobile broadband spectrum policy must co-exist with other critical societal priorities such as broadcast services

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) today called for governments and regulators to accelerate efforts to allocate and assign adequate spectrum to support the ever-increasing traffic demand for mobile broadband.

In a discussion paper developed by the ICC Task Force on Internet and Telecoms Infrastructure and Services (IT IS), ICC expressed concern about the strain on spectrum supply to meet the demand created by the growing number of subscribers and machine-to-machine technologies, and by the increasing consumption of voice minutes and data capacity ICC emphasized that it does not attach a greater importance to the use of spectrum for one particular mobile technology over another, and said that mobile broadband spectrum policy must co-exist with other critical societal priorities such as broadcast services.

Eric Loeb, chair of IT IS, said: “Given the enormous contribution of mobile broadband to innovation, competition, and job and economic growth in developed and developing countries, it is crucial that the unprecedented potential of mobile broadband is not stifled by a lack of adequate spectrum.”

The speed at which governments implement additional spectrum plans is critical. “The skyrocketing uptake of 3G services and mobile devices is already putting tremendous pressure on the current spectrum allocations,” said Mr Loeb. “As 4G adoption kicks in widely, that pressure will substantially increase. This entirely predictable spectrum shortage needs to be tackled as a priority today.”

Click here to read more on ICC’s website.

Staff contact: Barbara Wanner

More on USCIB’s Information, Communications and Technology Policy (ICT)

ICC website

As World Piracy Increases, More Ships Are Escaping Somali Pirates

Published on October 18, 2011

Piracy on the world’s seas has risen to record levels, with Somali pirates behind 56 percent of the 352 attacks reported this year, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and its International Maritime Bureau (IMB) revealed today in its latest global piracy report. Meanwhile, more Somali hijack attempts are being thwarted by strengthened anti-piracy measures.

“Figures for piracy and armed robbery at sea in the past nine months are higher than we’ve ever recorded in the same period of any past year,” said Pottengal Mukundan, director of IMB, whose Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) has monitored piracy worldwide since 1991.

Demanding millions of dollars in ransom for captured ships and their crews, Somali pirates are intensifying operations not just off their own coastline, but further afield in the Red Sea – particularly during the monsoon season in the wider Indian Ocean. Although Somali pirates are initiating more attacks – 199 this year, up from 126 for the first nine months of 2010 – they are managing to hijack fewer vessels. Only 24 vessels were hijacked this year compared with 35 for the same period in 2010. Hijackings were successful in just 12% of all attempts this year, down from 28% in 2011.

IMB credits this reduction in hijackings to policing and interventions by international naval forces and the correct application of the industry’s latest Best Management Practice.

For 2011, pirates have taken 625 people hostage worldwide, killing eight people and injuring 41. Pirates are often heavily armed, using automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenades.

View the latest attacks on the IMB Live Piracy Map

Revised ICC Rules Boost G20 Efforts to Curtail Corruption

Published on October 17, 2011
From left: Francois Vincke, vice-chair of the ICC Commission on Corporate Responsibility and Anti-Corruption; and Jean-Guy Carrier, ICC secretary general
From left: Francois Vincke, vice-chair of the ICC Commission on Corporate Responsibility and Anti-Corruption; and Jean-Guy Carrier, ICC secretary general

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has launched the ICC Rules on Combating Corruption in response to the G20’s call on business to stamp out corruption. The new ICC rules delineate measures companies should take to prevent corruption, including strong measures to end bribery and extortion.

ICC pointed out that G20 efforts to stabilize the economy and stimulate economic growth, trade and employment must address the drain on the economy caused by corruption. ICC Secretary General Jean-Guy Carrier said: “Corruption is a real threat to the integrity of markets, especially at a time when confidence and stability are most needed. Stamping out corruption will stimulate job creation, boost business confidence and open doors for emerging markets to attract foreign direct investment.”

The World Bank has estimated that corruption reduced annual economic growth by up to 1%, while the IMF reports that investment in corrupt countries is reduced by at least 5% when compared to countries that are relatively corruption-free.

The G20 has pledged to ‘lead by example’ through its Anti-Corruption Action Plan, which calls for ratification of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and adoption of other laws  aimed at thwarting bribery and corrupt practices, and also asks business to strengthen corporate efforts in fighting corruption. ICC has urged G20 leaders to ratify and implement UNCAC and encourages work with non-G20 states toward its universal adoption and implementation.

Read more on ICC’s website.

Download a PDF copy of the ICC Rules on Combating Corruption

Download the ICC’s Recommendations to the G20 on Fighting Corruption

New ICC Rules of Arbitration a Hot Topic at Miami Conferences

Published on October 13, 2011

The Latin American launch event for the 2012 ICC Rules of Arbitration, together with the International Chamber of Commerce‘s 9th Annual Miami Conference and the ICC Young Arbitrators Forum (YAF), are set to bring leading arbitration experts from Latin America and beyond to Miami on November 5-8. The launch conference of the 2012 ICC Rules of Arbitration on November 6 will feature talks with some of the experts directly involved in revising the ICC Rules of Arbitration, with simultaneous translation into English, Portuguese and Spanish.

“The Miami Launch of the 2012 ICC Rules of Arbitration comes at a time when states and corporations across Latin America are increasingly looking to arbitration as the most effective means by which to resolve cross-border disputes and disputes of an international nature. The Miami Launch affords users and arbitration practitioners an ideal opportunity to hear more about the changes and innovations in the 2012 ICC Rules of Arbitration and to discuss them with arbitration experts from across the region and from the ICC Court, the Secretariat and the Commission on Arbitration,” said John Beechey, chairman of the ICC International Court of Arbitration.

Organized under the auspices of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, the launch conference is open to anyone working in the field of international arbitration. Discussions will focus specifically on improvements made since the last revision in 1998. The new rules, which enter into force on January 1, 2012, were updated to bring them into line with today’s business and government needs in international trade and investment deals.

Following the launch event, the highly anticipated 9th Annual Miami Conference, on November 7-8, is a key forum for understanding international commercial arbitration in Latin America and the Caribbean. Entitled “International Commercial Arbitration in Latin America: The ICC perspective”, it features a line-up of top-class speakers, including Pedro A. Batista Martins, partner of the law firm Batista Martins Advogados, Brazil.  He said: “ICC’s Miami Conference is the perfect way for the region’s arbitration professionals to keep on top of latest changes in this rapidly-evolving field – whether they speak English, Spanish or Portuguese.”

More on ICC’s 9th Annual Miami Conference

More on USCIB’s Arbitration Committee

Business Groups Continue to Oppose China Currency Bill

Published on October 12, 2011

In response to proposed legislation aimed at pressuring China to accelerate the appreciation of its currency against the dollar, USCIB has been working with a coalition of other trade associations, led by the U.S.-China Business Council, to oppose the bill.

The Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act would label currency manipulation as a foreign subsidy, triggering U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods.

In a September 21 letter to Congress, USCIB and over 50 trade associations emphasized the importance of balancing bilateral with multilateral pressure on China.

“In addition to continuing U.S. government efforts, our organizations support strong, coordinated and enhanced multilateral pressure through international organizations such as the G-20 and APEC to promote China’s adoption of market-determined currency and exchange rate policies,” the letter stated.

On October 11, the controversial legislation was voted through the Senate without amendment by a vote of 63-35.  One proposed amendment submitted by Senator Orrin Hatch (R – Ut.).had included a multilateral approach to pressuring China on the appreciation of its currency.

Ten Years On: China in the WTO

This year marks the tenth anniversary of China’s membership in the World Trade Organization.  In October, as we have done each year since 2001, USCIB delivered a comprehensive statement to U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk’s office  on China’s compliance with its WTO obligations.

USTR collects this invaluable information from the business community to assist in preparing its report to Congress on China’s WTO compliance. USCIB members provided updated information in several cross-sectoral areas as well as those affecting their specific industries.  Among the top concerns were China’s policies and practices in indigenous innovation, intellectual property rights enforcement, transparency and standards.

We thank the USCIB members who took the time to send in updates and help us prepare the statement.

The Treasury Department has announced that it will delay publication of the semi-annual Report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies of the U.S.’s major trading partners until later this year, to allow time to assess progress following several international meetings, including the G20 finance ministers/central banks meetings on October 14-15 and the G20 and APEC summits in November.

USCIB will continue to monitor the progress of the proposed currency legislation and work with industry associations to ensure that the voice of business is heard on the importance of a multilateral approach to China’s management of its currency.

Staff contact: Justine Badimon

More on USCIB’s China Committee

Gamble to Chair ICC Commission on Trade and Investment Policy

Published on October 7, 2011
Dupont’s Geoffrey Gamble’s.
Dupont’s Geoffrey Gamble’s.

The International Chamber of Commerce recently announced the appointment of USCIB board member Geoffrey Gamble as the incoming chair of the ICC Commission on Trade and Investment.  USCIB serves as ICC’s American national committee.

Mr. Gamble is director of international affairs with Dupont, where his responsibilities include leading the company’s global government affairs network, the development of corporate trade policy and providing legal counsel in the areas of international and comparative law, trade law, and global ethics. He previously served as vice chair of the commission.

More on USCIB’s Trade and Investment Committee

USCIB Front and Center at APEC Meeting in San Francisco

Published on September 28, 2011
L-R: Justine Badimon (USCIB), Laurie Goldman (Levi Strauss), Nasim Deylami (USCIB).
L-R: Justine Badimon (USCIB), Laurie Goldman (Levi Strauss), Nasim Deylami (USCIB).

The intergovernmental Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum held its third senior officials meeting September 12-26 in San Francisco.  USCIB members and staff played an active role in a wide range of public-private dialogues held throughout the two-week period.

By participating in the APEC process, companies and business groups have the opportunity to lay out their priorities on various trade and investment issues directly to the economies of greatest interest, and participate in dialogues with the officials who ultimately make the policy decisions affecting their industry, according to Justine Badimon, USCIB’s manager of China, APEC and European Union affairs.  Business input into APEC is facilitated at the regional level through the APEC Business Advisory Council, and at the U.S. level via the National Center for APEC.

Here is a round-up of several of the areas where USCIB played an especially active role in San Francisco.

Energy and Transportation Ministerial

The senior officials meeting began with joint gathering of APEC transport and energy ministers, hosted by U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. A main focus was establishing achievable goals for energy efficiency and sustainability in transportation.  Ministers and the private sector discussed enhanced regulatory cooperation not only within APEC economies but also more broadly through other international organizations.  Ministers pledged to cooperate on cleaner and more energy-efficient transportation in the APEC region, with the goal of reducing energy in economic activity by at least 25 percent by 2030.

Women and the Economy Summit

A first-ever APEC Women and the Economy Summit was hosted by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, with participation from nearly 3,000 ministers, senior government officials, and private sector representatives from the 21 APEC economies.  Executive Vice President Ronnie Goldberg attended on behalf of USCIB.

The meeting affirmed APEC leaders’ recognition that gender equality is central to economic and social development, and that equal opportunity for both women supports economic growth and poverty reduction.  It culminated with Secretary Clinton’s announcement that APEC governments had committed to taking action to address the most significant barriers hindering women’s full economic participation.

“By increasing women’s participation in the economy and enhancing their efficiency and productivity, we can bring about a dramatic impact on the competitiveness and growth of our economies,” Secretary Clinton said in her remarks.  “Because when everyone has a chance to participate in the economic life of a nation, we can all be richer.”

APEC’s work will initially focus on four priority areas: improving access to capital, access to markets, capacity and skills building, and women’s leadership.

Among the materials distributed at the summit was an APEC edition of the OECD Gender Initiative interim report.  The OECD is examining gender gaps in education, employment and entrepreneurship, and is developing tools for closing these gaps.  USCIB members are providing both policy and practical input to the OECD in this area through a network of OECD-area member organizations and company representatives.

APEC Chemical Dialogue

The APEC Chemical Dialogue, attended by USCIB members and Helen Medina, USCIB’s director of product policy, focused on two projects with the private sector. The first involves organizing a future information-sharing workshop to discuss chemicals in articles and exchange experiences.  The workshop will provide a foundation for future discussion on whether work in this area would be valuable and if so, the scope of such efforts.

Secondly, APEC will also hold discussions on transparency and innovation in this sector.  Developments in other international discussions touching on chemicals management issues, such as in the Aarhus Convention, or some aspects within the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) process, raise questions about access to and availability of certain chemical information while also protecting intellectual property rights.

The APEC Chemical Dialogue’s Regulatory Best Practice Principles already recognize the importance of proper treatment for confidential business information.  APEC members agreed to commission a short paper focusing on the importance of transparency in the availability of information on chemicals and, in turn, the importance of encouraging innovation through the protection of intellectual property rights, including confidential business information.

Secure Trade in the APEC Region

A two-day Secure Trade in the APEC Region conference looked at ensuring security across all levels of the supply chain, while balancing trade facilitation.  USCIB member companies, including UPS and Dow Chemical, were represented along with customs and trade officials to give their views on what works in the APEC region and what challenges remain.

Industry representatives emphasized the necessity of enabling trade through the development of guidelines for the supply chain, encouraging a multi-layered approach to risk assessment and harmonizing international standards and codes to be adopted globally.  Participants cited successful public-private partnerships, such as the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), and urged such partnerships be allowed to evolve, facilitate information exchange and respond to the security challenges encountered by a dynamic global supply chain.

Participants agreed that APEC has a unique position, as an accessible and open forum where business leaders and government can exchange information and collaborate on priorities for trade.  The APEC region also holds expertise and experience in dealing with natural disasters and terrorist acts which affect the global supply chain, and this knowledge can add value to the international discussion on security in trade.  APEC’s role should be to share leadership in this area with other organizations and governments and continue to act as a thought-starter with mechanisms such as the Trade Recovery Program, which was created at APEC and carried out by the World Customs Organization.

APEC Customs-Business Dialogue

With a theme of “Change, Challenge and Opportunity,” the APEC Customs Business Dialogue provided a forum for participants from both the private and public sectors to consider and discuss how the events of 9/11 attacks created significant changes and challenges to customs procedures in the APEC region, as well as opportunities for better collaboration between business and government.

Laurie Goldman, head of global trade policy with Levi Strauss & Co., took part in a panel discussion on “Opportunity: Identifying the Next Generation of Customs-Business Partnerships.”

“The APEC Customs Business Dialogue gives both government and business a chance to address trade problems openly and efficiently in a way that helps to facilitate trade and better focus customs resources,” said Ms. Goldman.

It was widely agreed upon by business participants that APEC economies should work toward establishing guidelines for mutual recognition of AEO (Authorized Economic Operator) programs, and implement mechanisms to increase transparency and improve capacity building.  Positive examples of potential customs-business partnerships within APEC were provided, such as the Asia-Pacific Interactive Tariff Database.  Nasim Deylami, USCIB’s manager for customs and trade facilitation, will work closely with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to ensure our engagement with APEC on this issue as we move into 2012.

Data Privacy

Heather Shaw, USCIB’s vice president for ICT policy, continued work with APEC’s Electronic Commerce Steering Group with a workshop she organized on September 17 called, APEC Cross-Border Privacy Rules: The Value Proposition for Industry, Consumers and Governments.  In addition to the workshop, key outcomes of the data protection subgroup included the completion of the Cross-Border Privacy Rules System (CBPR) Pathfinder.  Click here to access a separate report on the CBPR.

Gearing up for the CEO Summit

In November, USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson will attend the APEC CEO Summit in Honolulu, where President Obama will host his counterparts from each of the APEC economies.  The summit will include a full agenda of plenary discussions with business leaders from around the APEC region exploring new developments in health and innovation, financial markets, regulatory reform, green growth and “next-generation” trade issues.  The two-day event will also offer opportunities for the business community to engage with APEC leaders. At the conclusion of the summit, the U.S. will hand over hosting duties to Russia for APEC 2012.

For more information about registration for the CEO Summit, please visit the National Host Committee’s website at www.apec2011ceosummit.com or contact USCIB.